Measured cosmetic powder dispenser

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to the field of cosmetic powder containers and dispensers and particularly to a cosmetic powder dispenser with measured dispensing mechanism. The present invention is particularly easy to use and cost effective by allowing the consumer to dispense only the desired amount of the cosmetic powder by providing a measured dispensing mechanism, and at the same time allow the consumer to apply the cosmetic powder evenly to the brush head by providing an application surface to manipulate the cosmetic powder evenly onto the brush head.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of cosmetic powdercontainers and dispensers and particularly to a cosmetic powderdispenser with measured dispensing mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of cosmetic powder containers and dispensers are available onthe market. Cosmetic powders are generally applied to the face by way ofa variety of different types of brushes. To apply the cosmetic powder tothe face, the cosmetic powder must first be applied to the brush andthen applied to the face in a desired location and manner. Many of theavailable cosmetic powder container are simply a container for thecosmetic powder with a lid, which leaves the consumer with the task offiguring out how to apply the desired amount of cosmetic powder to thebrush and then to the face. Cosmetics are generally expensive, and muchof the powder can be wasted if too large of amount of the powder isapplied to the brush. A major difficulty with application of cosmeticpowder to the face from a simple container is that a brush is usuallydipped into the cosmetic powder and then applied to the face. There isusually little that can be done to even out the cosmetic powder on thebrush head. Because dipping the brush head into the powder causes avarying amount of cosmetic powder to be picked up by different regionsof the brush head, the application of the cosmetic powder may be uneven,especially if too large of an amount of the cosmetic powder was pickedup by the brush head.

Many of the available cosmetic containers and dispensers suffer from theproblems discussed above. While there has been a trend to produce moreeffective and cost saving cosmetic powder containers and dispensers,further improvements in effectiveness and ease of use for of thecosmetic powder container and dispenser is desirable, and the presentinvention addresses the existing problems and provides related solutionsand benefits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of cosmetic powdercontainers and dispensers and particularly to a cosmetic powderdispenser with measured dispensing mechanism. The present invention isparticularly easy to use and cost effective by allowing the consumer todispense only the desired amount of the cosmetic powder by providing ameasured dispensing mechanism, and at the same time allow the consumerto apply the cosmetic powder evenly to the brush head by providing anapplication surface to manipulate the cosmetic powder evenly onto thebrush head. Furthermore, the measured dispenser of the present inventionincludes one or more cavities into which a measured amount of thecosmetic powder is collected and dispensed for use and to safeguard theloose powder in the container from spilling out by accident or duringuse or travel.

The present invention recognizes that cosmetic powder containers anddispensers can be made more user friendly and cost effective byproviding a cosmetic powder container with a measured dispensingmechanism to provide the ability to dispense only the desired-amount ofthe cosmetic powder onto an application surface for manipulating thecosmetic brush evenly onto the brush head.

A first aspect of the present invention includes a measured cosmeticpowder dispenser including a powder collector having an open end and anopposing closed end with a peripheral side wall, a powder containercapable of containing cosmetic powder, the powder container including afirst partially open end and an opposing second partially open end witha peripheral sidewall connecting the first and second partially openends forming the powder container, the powder container adapted to bereleasably attached to the open end of the powder collector; and adispensing rod positioned inside the powder container, the dispensingrod including a spring loaded push-button end positioned at the firstpartially open end of the powder container, and an opposing dispensingend positioned at the second partially open end of the powder container,wherein the dispensing end of the dispensing rod includes a firststopper, a second stopper, and one or more cavities positioned betweenthe first and the second stoppers into which cosmetic powder can becollected, such that when the spring loaded push-button end isdepressed, the dispensing rod moves through the powder inside the powdercontainer and into the powder collector discharging a measured amount ofthe cosmetic powder from the one or more cavities of the dispensing rodinto the powder collector.

A second aspect of the present invention includes a cosmetic powderdispenser including a powder collector adapted to be releasably attachedto a powder container including a vertical mobile dispensing rod, thevertical mobile dispensing rod including a spring loaded push-button endpositioned at a first end of the powder container, and an opposingdispensing end positioned at a second end of the powder container,wherein the dispensing end of the dispensing rod has one or morecavities into which cosmetic powder can be collected, such that when thespring loaded push-button end is depressed, the dispensing rod movesthrough the powder inside the powder container and into the powdercollector discharging a measured amount of the cosmetic powder into thepowder collector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention withthe dispensing rod in a relaxed position.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention withthe dispensing rod in a depressed position.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present inventionshowing the parts.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventionshown with the dispensing rod in a relaxed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Introduction

The present invention recognizes that cosmetic powder containers anddispensers can be made more user friendly and cost effective byproviding a cosmetic powder container with a measured dispensingmechanism to provide for the ability to dispense only the desired amountof the cosmetic powder onto an application surface for manipulating thecosmetic brush evenly onto the brush head.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings. To gain a full appreciation of the scope ofthe present invention, it will be further recognized that variousaspects of the present invention can be changed or be combined to makedesirable embodiments of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Where a term is provided in thesingular, the inventor also contemplates the plural of that term. Thenomenclature used herein and the procedures described below are thosewell known and commonly employed in the art.

I. A Measured Cosmetic Powder Dispenser

One embodiment of the present invention includes a cosmetic powdercontainer with measured dispenser mechanism. The container and variousparts of the present invention can be made from any suitable material,preferably rigid plastics, ceramics, glass, rubber, metals, or acombination thereof. The shape and size of the powder container anddispenser may be as desired for a particular product. The presentinvention includes a measured cosmetic powder dispenser including apowder collector having an open end and an opposing closed end with aperipheral side wall of a desire length such that the powder collectoris able to hold and contain the desired amount of the dispensed cosmeticpowder. The peripheral side wall of the powder collector preferablyincludes a releasable attaching means for attaching to a powdercontainer described below. The releasable attaching means may be anysuitable attaching means for attaching an open-top container with thepowder container, for example threaded screw means, quick-release means,or snap-lock means.

The powder container of the present invention is container that iscapable of containing cosmetic powder. The powder container of thepresent invention includes a first partially open end and an opposingsecond partially open end with a peripheral sidewall connecting thefirst and second partially open ends forming the powder container. Theperipheral side wall of the powder container may be of any desire lengthsuch that the container is able to contain and house the volume of thedesired amount of the cosmetic powder. The powder container of thepresent invention is adapted to be releasably attached to the open endof the powder collector, for example by way of screw means,quick-release means, or snap-lock means.

The present invention also includes a dispensing rod positioned insidethe powder container. Preferably, the dispensing rod includes a springloaded push-button end positioned at the first partially open end of thepowder container, and an opposing dispensing end positioned at thesecond partially open end of the powder container. The spring loadedpush-button end may be provided by any suitable means that providestensions, such that the push-button end can be pressed down and returnback to the initial position after being releases. The means thatprovide the tension may be any elastic-type means where an elasticmaterial is stretched upon pressing the button, and released uponreleasing the button. Such means for providing tension may be in theform of one or more springs, for example metal, plastic, or a rubberspring, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the powder container caninclude one or more sealing means between the push-button end of thedispensing rod and the first partially open end of the powder containersealing the cosmetic powder inside the powder container. Providing suchsealing means ensures that the cosmetic powder does not inadvertentlyfall our of the powder container when the bush-button end of thedispensing rod is depressed during use. Such sealing means may be anysuitable sealing means for its purpose, such as O-rings made of rubber,plastics or similar material, or other material of any shape that canseal an opening while allowing the movement of the dispensing rod.

The dispensing end of the dispensing rod may include a first stopper, asecond stopper, and one or more cavities positioned between the firstand the second stoppers into which cosmetic powder can be collected. Itis an important aspect of this embodiment of the present invention forthe first and second stoppers of the dispensing rod to have the sameshape as the opening located on the second partially open end of thepowder container. Preferably, the second opening of the powder containermay in the shape of a circle and the shapes of the first and secondstoppers of the dispensing rod may by cylindrical having substantiallythe same diameter as the opening of the second open end of the powdercontainer. This way, when the push-button is not depressed and is in arelaxed position, the first stopper plugs the opening securing thepowder inside the powder container, and when the push-button isdepressed, the dispensing rod first moves through the powder and intothe powder collector taking with it the powder that has collected in theone or more cavities of the dispensing rod which is discharged in thepowder collector and as the dispensing rod travels further into thepowder the second stopper plugs the opening and again securing thepowder inside the powder container. When the push-button is released,the dispensing rod moves back into the powder container with emptycavities to be refilled and the first stopper again plugs the openingsecuring the powder inside the powder container.

In a preferred embodiment of the cosmetic powder dispenser of thepresent invention has a cylindrical configuration, and also thedispensing rod has a cylindrical configuration, wherein the diameter atthe dispensing end is larger than the diameter at the push-button end,and the dispensing end of the dispensing rod comprises one circularcavity running along the entire periphery of the dispensing rod. Thepowder can be collected in the circular cavity of the dispensing rod andwhen the push-button of the dispensing rod is depressed, the powder isdischarged in the powder collector. In the preferred embodiment it ispreferable for the circular cavity of the dispensing end of thedispensing rod to be able to contain between about 0.05 grams to about 1grams of cosmetic powder, and more preferably between about 0.1 grams to0.5 grams of cosmetic powder. In the preferred embodiment, it ispreferable for the powder container to be able to contain between about5 grams to about 50 grams of the cosmetic powder, and more preferablybetween about 0.5 grams to 30 grams of the cosmetic powder.

The powder container of the present invention can include one or moreinternal structures for directing the cosmetic powder toward the one ormore cavities of the dispensing rod. In one preferred embodiment, thesecond partially open end of the powder container includes a floor thatis angled upward in an inclined configuration such that the cosmeticpowder inside the powder container is directed toward the one or morecavities of the dispensing end of the dispending rod. Examples ofinclined floors may include a cone shape configuration or a parabolicshape configuration.

In a preferred embodiment, the powder collector of the present inventionis of a proper size to provide a flat surface on the inside bottom wherethe cosmetic powder is captured from the powder container and can beeasily manipulated by a brush head to apply a desired amount of thecosmetic powder evenly onto the brush head.

It is preferred that the powder container be able to releasably attachedto the open end of the powder collector. In such configuration, thepowder collector may act as a type of a lid for the powder container,where is it used to collect the dispensed powder when turn upside downwherein the powder collector is position at the bottom and under thepowder container. The mans for releasably attaching the powder containerto the powder collector may be by any suitable releasable attachingmeans, for example by way of screw means such as threaded ends of thepowder container and the powder collector, or snap-lock means such aswhere there are grooves and protrusions that tightly fit into eachother, or by way of a quick release and locking mechanism.

The powder container of the present invention may also be configured tobe refillable. For example a refilling lid or covered aperture may beprovided by which new powder is used to fill up an emptied powdercontainer.

EXAMPLES Example I Measured Cosmetic Powder Dispenser

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, one embodiment of the aspect of thepresent invention includes a measured cosmetic powder dispenser 100including a powder collector 101 having an open end and an opposingclosed end 102 with a peripheral side wall 103, a powder container 104capable of containing cosmetic powder 105, the powder container 105including a first partially open end 106 and an opposing secondpartially open end 107 with a peripheral sidewall 108 connecting thefirst 106 and second 107 partially open ends forming the powdercontainer 104, the powder container 104 adapted to be releasablyattached 109 the open end of the powder collector 101; and a dispensingrod 201 positioned inside the powder container 104, the dispensing rod201 including a spring loaded push-button end 202 positioned at thefirst partially open end 106 of the powder container 104, and anopposing dispensing end 203 positioned at the second partially open end107 of the powder container 104, wherein the dispensing end 203 of thedispensing rod 201 includes a first stopper 204, a second stopper 205,and one or more cavities 206 positioned between the first 204 and thesecond 205 stoppers into which cosmetic powder 105 can be collected,such that when the spring loaded push-button end 202 is depressed, thedispensing rod 201 moves through the powder 105 inside the powdercontainer 104 and into the powder collector 101 discharging a measuredamount 207 of the cosmetic powder 105 from the one or more cavities 206of the dispensing rod 201 into the powder collector101.

The powder collector 101 of the present invention provides a flatsurface 301 on the inside bottom where the measured amount 207 of thecosmetic powder is captured from the powder container 104 and can beeasily manipulated by a brush head to apply a desired amount of thecosmetic powder evenly onto the brush head.

The second partially open end 107 of the powder container includes afloor 302 that is angled upward in an inclined configuration such thatthe cosmetic powder 105 inside the powder container 104 is directedtoward the one or more cavities 206 of the dispensing end 203 of thedispending rod 201.

The spring loaded push-button end 202 of the dispensing rod 201 mayinclude a metal, plastic, or a rubber spring 303, or a combinationthereof. The powder container 104 may be releasably attached 109 to theopen end of the powder collector 101 by way of threaded means 109,snap-lock means 304, or quick release and locking mechanism 304.

The powder container 104 may also include one or more sealing means 305between the push-button end 202 of the dispensing rod 201 and the firstpartially open end 106 of the powder container sealing the cosmeticpowder 105 inside the powder container 104.

All headings are for the convenience of the reader and should not beused to limit the meaning of the text that follows the heading, unlessso specified. Various changes and departures may be made to the presentinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited to thatspecifically described in the specification or as illustrated in thedrawings, but only as set forth in the claims. Although the inventionhas been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodimentsthereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that theforegoing and various other changes, omissions, and additions may bemade therein and thereto, without parting from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

1. A measured cosmetic powder dispenser comprising: a powder collectorcomprising an open end and an opposing closed end comprising aperipheral side wall; a powder container capable of containing cosmeticpowder, the powder container comprising a first partially open end andan opposing second partially open end comprising a peripheral sidewallconnecting the first and second partially open ends forming the powdercontainer, the powder container adapted to be releasably attached to theopen end of the powder collector; and a dispensing rod positioned insidethe powder container, the dispensing rod comprising a spring loadedpush-button end positioned at the first partially open end of the powdercontainer, and an opposing dispensing end positioned at the secondpartially open end of the powder container, wherein the dispensing endof the dispensing rod comprises a first stopper, a second stopper, andone or more cavities positioned between the first and the secondstoppers into which cosmetic powder can be collected, such that when thespring loaded push-button end is depressed, the dispensing rod movesthrough the powder inside the powder container and into the powdercollector discharging a measured amount of the cosmetic powder from theone or more cavities of the dispensing rod into the powder collector. 2.The measured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1, wherein thedispensing rod comprises a cylindrical configuration, wherein thediameter at the dispensing end is larger than the diameter at thepush-button end, and the dispensing end of the dispensing rod comprisesone circular cavity running along the entire periphery of the dispensingrod.
 3. The measured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1, comprising acylindrical configuration.
 4. The measured cosmetic powder dispenser ofclaim 2, wherein the circular cavity of the dispensing end of thedispensing rod is able to contain 0.1 grams to 0.5 grams of cosmeticpowder, and the powder container is able to contain 0.5 grams to 30grams of cosmetic powder.
 5. The measured cosmetic powder dispenser ofclaim 1, wherein the closed end of the powder collector comprises a flatsurface for manipulation of the cosmetic powder by a brush.
 6. Themeasured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1, wherein the secondpartially open end of the powder container comprises an inclined floorsuch that the cosmetic powder inside the powder container is directedtoward the one or more cavities of the dispensing end of the dispendingrod.
 7. The measured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1, wherein thespring loaded push-button comprises a metal, plastic, or a rubberspring, or a combination thereof.
 8. The measured cosmetic powderdispenser of claim 1, wherein the spring loaded push-button compriseselastic means.
 9. The measured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1,wherein the powder container is releasably attached to the open end ofthe powder collector by way of threaded means or snap-lock means. 10.The measured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1, wherein the powdercontainer is releasably attached to the open end of the powder collectorby way of quick release and locking mechanism.
 11. The measured cosmeticpowder dispenser of claim 1, wherein the powder container is capable ofbeing refilled.
 12. The measured cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 1,wherein the powder container further comprises one or more sealing meansbetween the push-button end of the dispensing rod and the firstpartially open end of the powder container sealing the cosmetic powderinside the powder container.
 13. A cosmetic powder dispenser comprising:a powder collector adapted to be releasably attached to a powdercontainer comprising a vertical mobile dispensing rod, the verticalmobile dispensing rod comprising a spring loaded push-button endpositioned at a first end of the powder container, and an opposingdispensing end positioned at a second end of the powder container,wherein the dispensing end of the dispensing rod comprises one or morecavities into which cosmetic powder can be collected, such that when thespring loaded push-button end is depressed, the dispensing rod movesthrough the powder inside the powder container and into the powdercollector discharging a measured amount of the cosmetic powder into thepowder collector.
 14. The cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 13, whereinthe dispensing end of the dispensing rod comprises a first stopper, asecond stopper, and one or more cavities positioned between the firstand the second stoppers into which cosmetic powder can be collected,such that when the spring loaded push-button end is depressed, thedispensing rod moves through the powder inside the powder container andinto the powder collector discharging a measured amount of the cosmeticpowder from the one or more cavities of the vertical dispensing rod intothe powder collector.
 15. The cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 13,wherein the dispensing rod comprises a cylindrical configuration,wherein the diameter at the dispensing end is larger than the diameterat the push-button end, and the dispensing end of the dispensing rodcomprises one circular cavity running along the entire periphery of thedispensing rod.
 16. The cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 13, whereinthe powder container comprises a floor comprising an opening for thedispensing rod, the floor being inclined upward such that the cosmeticpowder inside the powder container is directed toward the one or morecavities of the dispensing end of the dispending rod.
 17. The cosmeticpowder dispenser of claim 13, wherein the powder collector comprises aflat surface for manipulation of the cosmetic powder by a brush.
 18. Thecosmetic powder dispenser of claim 13, wherein the spring loadedpush-button comprises elastic means.
 19. The cosmetic powder dispenserof claim 13, wherein the powder container is releasably attached theopen end of the powder collector by way of screw means or snap means.20. The cosmetic powder dispenser of claim 13, wherein the one or morecavities of the dispensing end is able to contain 0.1 grams to 0.5 gramsof cosmetic powder, and the powder container is able to contain 0.5grams to 30 grams of cosmetic powder.